BRIEF BUT GLORIOUS!

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22540, 3 October 1936, Page 7 (Supplement)

BRIEF BUT GLORIOUS!

THE ASPARAGUS SEASON Asparagus, queen of the vegetables, has entered on her all too brief season. Properly used, fresh asparagus need not be regarded as nil extravaganco once the season has begun. Apart from the main dish, there is the liquid in which the houds have been boiled which can become the basis of a good soup, and it is surprising what can be done with any points that may be left over. But are there ever any left over? Well, the home cook can take her own way of making certain of this by reserving a few points for an asparagus omelet or as a garnish for fish, egg dishes, hors d'oeuvres or salad. For a Family.—The most economical method of cooking asparagus for a family, retaining the full flavour of that most delectable of vegetables, is as follows: Prepare n batter pudding for baking. Place the voting and tender asparagus from end to end evenly on to]), shredding a little suet —mutton for preference—on top. Bako in %tho ordinary way. Asparagus Flan.—Ono method of making the most of a few aspnragus heads is to introduce them in a flan. Prepare tho pastry case and cover the bottom with sliced hard-boiled egg and asparagus. Over this pour a thick, white, seasoned sauce, into which has been stirred 20/„ of grated cheese. Bako in tho oven until the pastry is ready. Just bofore serving, decorate with points of asparagus interspersed with slices of hard-boiled egg. Asparagus Sticks.—Cooked asparagus tips, one egg, fat for frying, little seasoned flour, breadcrumbs and grated cheese. Cut tho asparagus tips into neat lengths, about three to four inches long."Roll each tip in a little seasoned flour (flour with pepper and salt added), then in the beaten egg, and finally in fine, rolled breadcrumbs. Place prepared tips in a frying-basket and deep-fry in smoking fat. Drain well, and servo with grated cheese sprinkled over. Delicate Cream.—Wash three small bundles of asparagus in cold water, cut off white ends. Boil slowly in milk and water, ono part water to three parts of milk, till tender. Strain and pass through a sieve. Keep the milky liquid. Beat up four eggs, add white peppjar and salt, one small teacupful of cream and one teacupful of the milk in which the asparagus was boiled. Stir over a slow firo till it begins to thicken, but it must not boil. Then add asparagus. Fill small moulds, cover with buttered paper, and steam. Turn out, and serve with lettuce or cress. Asparagus and Shrimp Mayonnaise. —Cook green asparagus heads by steaming, to retain flavour. When cold, mix the heads only, no stalks, with an equal quantity of picked shrimps. Pile high, like a mountain peak, in a silver dish, and cover completely with thick mayonnaise. Decorate with half a dozen shrimps. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS L.P.D., Rasrlan, wants a recipe for floorpolish containing turpentine and "braswick black." I am suro that yon must mean "Brunswick black." which is a common ingredient of floor-stains, and which yon can obtain in tins at any hardware Btore or paint shop.' Inquirer, Tauranira, wants to know if anyone would supply her with a recipe for preserving asparagus? Subscriber. Ellerslie. wants a recipe for mincemeat containing raw meat as well as the usual currants and raisins, etc. This mixture Is new to me. so, as Christmas is approaching find many readers will bo interested in the question, I hope some one will be able to enlighten us. 1.W., W'ellsford: Can anyone offer a (suggestion as to how to improve patent, leather shoes that have become too tight? (Can you not fret yonr local shoemaker to stretch the shoe for you?) Note: —Our best thanks are due to Mrs. P.D. OVaihi), "Janet," "Sally" and "Reader" (Wpstmere), for recipes for ginger-nuts and afghans, for which earlier recipes were published last week. Mrs. A.M.A. also wants to thank M.H. for her advice about mothnrftvpntinn.